A healthier diet: Add colour to your plate

If you are looking for a healthier diet, the secret lies in the colours on your plate.

Adding a greater variety of colour can help create a more balanced, nutritious diet; your meals will be boosted in flavour and texture, making for a healthier, more interesting meal. There are many benefits to adding more fruit and vegetables to your food intake. Here we list some of those reasons, courtesy of One Green Planet:

Build a strong immune system

Fruits are packed with antioxidants and help to stimulate our immune system. The latter is responsible for helping to fight off viruses and infections.

Fruit and vegetables are part of a balanced diet

The requirement for five portions of fruit and vegetables per day is a long-held target for many who seek a healthier diet. Fruit, although high in simple sugars, reduces calorie intake in comparison to other unhealthier foods and they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Adding fruit boosts energy levels

The addition of fruit to our diet keeps your energy levels consistent with healthy carbohydrates and fibre helping provide those energy boosts throughout the day.

If you are wondering how to get more fruit and vegetables into your food intake, we’ve found some great recipes which add lots of colour to your plate (courtesy of BBC Good Food):

Pineapple Fried Rice

Add a twist to your conventional fried rice with a refreshing pineapple element which adds plenty of colour to a meal already packed with flavour. With a quick preparation and cook time, this one is ideal for any day of the week.

Salmon and Thai Noodle Salad

Ideal for a midweek meal in a hurry, this salmon and Thai noodle salad is nutritious, gluten-free and takes 20 minutes to prepare and cook. Peas, French beans, orange and spring onions are all in this recipe, making for a flavoursome meal.

Seafood Tagine

Onion, red pepper, chopped tomato and chickpeas are packed into this delicious, easy to create dish; a deep red appearance makes it look incredibly appealing. Low in fat, this recipe can form part of a delicious menu for the week which isn’t heavy on calories.

Get cooking and get plenty of colour into those dishes!